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I wouldn't say the US has a sub standard system. We can learn much from it. However, my problem with it is that it is elitist. Only the rich can afford Ivy League Universities and those who are exceptionally talented are left behind. And scholarships are hard to come by.
American universities are the best in the world, so I'm not sure how it can be described as junk.
It is difficult educating a nation the size of a continent - with millions of children from homes that don't even speak English as a first language (my aunt works in a Southern Californian school that hasn't had an English speaking child start at her school for many years for example). For that reason - the USA is never going to be at the level of Finland's school system (which is a culturally and ethnically homogeneous state). There is an interesting article about this written by a Post-Doc at the University of Chicago http://super-economy.blogspot.com/2010/12/amazing-truth-about-pisa-scores-usa.html who argues that US school education is better than Europe's - whether this is true I do not know, but it is an interesting read.
It is difficult educating a nation the size of a continent - with millions of children from homes that don't even speak English as a first language (my aunt works in a Southern Californian school that hasn't had an English speaking child start at her school for many years for example). For that reason - the USA is never going to be at the level of Finland's school system (which is a culturally and ethnically homogeneous state). There is an interesting article about this written by a Post-Doc at the University of Chicago http://super-economy.blogspot.com/2010/12/amazing-truth-about-pisa-scores-usa.html who argues that US school education is better than Europe's - whether this is true I do not know, but it is an interesting read.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Mr. Approachable
I wouldn't say the US has a sub standard system. We can learn much from it. However, my problem with it is that it is elitist. Only the rich can afford Ivy League Universities and those who are exceptionally talented are left behind. And scholarships are hard to come by.
Not true.
Original post by Space Needle
Not true.
So without a scholarship, what normal individual can afford $35,000 a year, up front?
Original post by Mr. Approachable
So without a scholarship, what normal individual can afford $35,000 a year, up front?
Good job normal individuals are nor charged that then!
Harvard charges about $40,000 tuition per year, but the average financial aid package is around $42,853 (the additional aid to the $40,000 tuition costs are to help with living costs and so on). And remember that is the average - if you are very poor it would be more like $55,000.
Original post by KCosmo
If you have money, the US system is world class, but their state schools are not of the same quality as the UK
What brings you to that conclusion?
The facilities tend to be much, much better (like sports facilities).
Original post by Mr. Approachable
I wouldn't say the US has a sub standard system. We can learn much from it. However, my problem with it is that it is elitist. Only the rich can afford Ivy League Universities and those who are exceptionally talented are left behind. And scholarships are hard to come by.
Not true, most Ivy League unis provide generous financial aids and scholarships, even for internationals.
Original post by Space Needle
Good job normal individuals are nor charged that then!
Harvard charges about $40,000 tuition per year, but the average financial aid package is around $42,853 (the additional aid to the $40,000 tuition costs are to help with living costs and so on). And remember that is the average - if you are very poor it would be more like $55,000.
Harvard charges about $40,000 tuition per year, but the average financial aid package is around $42,853 (the additional aid to the $40,000 tuition costs are to help with living costs and so on). And remember that is the average - if you are very poor it would be more like $55,000.
Well if that's true, then that financial package should be introduced into the UK.
Original post by Space Needle
What brings you to that conclusion?
The facilities tend to be much, much better (like sports facilities).
The facilities tend to be much, much better (like sports facilities).
And, what on earth brought you to that conclusion?
No. Have you checked the US system? The US is very flexible in the sense that if you're smart then you aren't restricted and can study higher up courses that probably excel in difficulty compared to A levels. In some courses AP may be easier than their A level equivalent but then they aren't supposed to be comparable. For example, AP micro and macro aren't going to be exactly similar to A level economics because they test different things. The former AP is testing a specific sub-branch of economics whereas the later is testing a more broad definition of economics.
Original post by Mr. Approachable
Well if that's true, then that financial package should be introduced into the UK.
I don't think British universities could afford it. Oxford and Cambridge are only reasonably wealthy by American Standards (Harvard's endowment is about $30 billion, whereas Oxford's is $3.3 billion and somewhere like Birmingham University is $78 million). Yeah it is true - if you want an indication - http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=3853&profileId=2 just go and look around here, that example is Columbia.
Original post by Mendeleev's Table
And, what on earth brought you to that conclusion?
Having been brought up in the USA and I am currently living in the UK until January.
Original post by Space Needle
What brings you to that conclusion?
The facilities tend to be much, much better (like sports facilities).
The facilities tend to be much, much better (like sports facilities).
US schools tend to be way too orientated towards sports in my opinion.
Original post by Space Needle
I don't think British universities could afford it. Oxford and Cambridge are only reasonably wealthy by American Standards (Harvard's endowment is about $30 billion, whereas Oxford's is $3.3 billion and somewhere like Birmingham University is $78 million). Yeah it is true - if you want an indication - http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=3853&profileId=2 just go and look around here, that example is Columbia.
Given everything you've said in this thread, why are you only applying to UK universities?
Original post by Lewis :D
US schools tend to be way too orientated towards sports in my opinion.
Well sport is taken seriously. There are plenty of other things to do.
If you check out my old high school - it is quite a varied non-athletics programme http://www.nsd.org/education/components/sectionlist/default.php?sectiondetailid=108&. It has loads of music things as well like a wind ensemble, symphonic band, orchestra, marching band, and two jazz ensemblesas, concert choir, women's choir, madrigal singers, and a jazz choir!
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